Abbey Graveyard, Ballyhaunis in Co. Mayo

Around every religious foundation, the cemetery is always of great historical and devotional significance. And this is true of the Abbey graveyard, concerning which there is some valuable and interesting material in the archives.

For instance, there is a series of letters (dated 1956 and 1972) from a Lord Dillon, who then lived outside Drogheda. They make fascinating reading. From them we learn for instance that the last member of his branch of the family to be interred at the Abbey was the 12th Viscount (in 1813) and also that his branch had returned to the Catholic Faith (from which it would have turned in 1769). We know that the Dillon vault is now closed in, as are two notable Burke vaults, together with many others. The vault used by the Augustinian community is accessible.

There are, of course, several grave inscriptions to be seen from the last century and some from the previous century. For instance, there is one with the name of Mrs. Bridget Egan for the year 1883; another for Rev. James Egan, parish priest of Anagh and Bekan, for the year 1799; another for a Patk Egan for the year 1788.